16th Annual May 9 - 12, 2012

To commemorate in 2010 the 100th anniversary of Mary Lou Williams’s birth, the Kennedy Center created the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Emerging Artist Workshop. The workshop, May 9-12, provides female jazz artists ages 18 to 35 with an opportunity to explore and develop their artistry under the guidance of leading jazz artists and instructors. Each year, the workshop will focus on a specific instrument. For 2012, the focal instrument is the piano. The workshop culminates in a public performance by workshop participants on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage during the 16th Annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival.

Mary Lou Williams was dubbed “the Lady who swings the band.” Her music reflects the history of jazz while, at the same time, moving it forward. This three-day intensive, dedicated to the spirit and style of Mary Lou Williams, provides instruction, insight, and tools rooted in the foundations of jazz: swing, melody, and harmony. The faculty is drawn from the artists present during the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival along with other members of the jazz community. The workshop nurtures artistic vision, cultivates the artist’s ability to communicate and connect with audiences, and builds a network of friends and colleagues.

2012 Guidelines

Eligibility

The 2012 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Emerging Artist Workshop is open to advanced female jazz pianists who plan to pursue jazz performance as a career. Eligibility is exclusive to pianists who will be 18–35 years old on May 9, 2012 and have never recorded or been contracted to record as a leader or co-leader on a major label at the time of application. All applicants must be proficient in English.

Workshop Details

The applicants selected to participate in this program will be notified by April 13, 2012. The Kennedy Center will provide travel to and from Washington, DC; a per diem to cover meal expenses; lodging at a local hotel for all participants; and tickets to each night of the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. International participants are responsible for acquiring a valid visa to enter the United States. There are no tuition or housing fees incurred by those selected for the program. Workshop participants will be required to sign an Artist Agreement with the Kennedy Center that will include: possible release of a recording; permission to broadcast image and music over the internet; insurance coverage; and financial arrangements for the per diem. Accepted applicants must be available for the duration of the workshop, including evenings, and are expected to attend all workshop sessions and concerts.

Application

To apply, the following materials must be postmarked by March 16, 2012:

• Complete application (Download Application)
• Résumé or CV (2 pages or less that includes current jazz activities, teachers, master classes, performing experiences, education/training, festivals, and awards)
• Headshot (non-professional photo is acceptable)
• Two (2) letters of recommendation from present or former music teachers, or from musicians of high standing. Letters may be sent separately from the application either by mail or by fax; letters must be marked clearly with the applicant's name on the front of the envelope or on the cover sheet of the fax.
• Three (3) copies of an audition recording, as described in the audition recording requirements below
• Copy of valid, government-issued proof of age

Audition Recording Requirements

In addition to the required Mary Lou Williams song, demonstrate your knowledge of and ability to play jazz by choosing three songs that showcase your different playing styles and talent. Original songs are acceptable. Total recording should not exceed 20 minutes in length and MUST:

• Prominently feature applicant in each song.
• Be recorded on a high-quality compact disc formatted for a CD player (not a computer).
• Adequately convey the performance level of the applicant.
• Be labeled with the applicant’s name.
• Contain one solo piano piece within the repertoire below. The repertoire must be recorded in the following order:
  1. The Land of Oo-Bla-Dee by Mary Lou Williams
  2. Plus three (3) additional pieces
     • One (1) up-tempo swing
     • One (1) ballad or blues
     • One (1) medium swing

Please consider the quality of the recording you submit. Applicants have been rejected based on a poor-quality recording that may have overshadowed a high-quality performance.

Download Application.

Contact Information

The Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Emerging Artist Workshop is a program of the Kennedy Center Education Department.

*Regular U.S. or Int'l. mail sent to this address will be irradiated potentially destroying all contents.